An Eccentric Student Council
by fate-at-work
Summary: they only wanted to defeat the other. sharing this common goal,would AC's 'princess' sasuke and RC's 'prince' naruto be deemed to be rivals for eternity? or will love spark between them? SasuNaru.AU.yaoi.don't like, don't read.r&r.
1. 0: prologue

(edited as of 22 June 2009, 19:37)

**A/N: **Well, here I am again. And presenting, my second NaruSasu fanfic!! Yey! Well. This time, it will be a long, chaptered fanfic. Haha. And, this is AU. My first time to make one, really. Hahaha. And this is also my first time writing a prologue. ^_^. As always, reviews are pretty much appreciated.

**A/N part 2: **yeah, i've become so hasty to post this, that i forgot to put the a/n and disclaimer, and named this chapter epilogue.(such an idiot).

**Warning/s: **SMUT in later chapters. And yaoi. Don't want, don't read, don't flame. As simple as that.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. That's just the way it is.

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**An Eccentric Student Council**

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**0: Prologue**

Konohagakure Gakuen: a koutougakkou (1) famous in the whole Country of Fire for honing and refining its students, and fine-tuning them to be a "sharp blade" like no other. In here, the young generation under the supervision of the most elite and top-of-the-line instructors were trained and taught to be at their finest, in every field they aim to go in the future. As soon as they have become a part of the student body, each and every one of them must bear the responsibility of being a top-class individual suited to carry the school's name, and also uphold the morals that a Konohagakure Gakuen must have. Needless to say, one is considered to be illustrious if he was, or is, a Konohagakure Gakuen student.

How they were able to produce cream-of-the-crop humans is a secret to all who are not part of the said school, but everyone knows of one of the uncommon systems that Konohagakure Gakuen implement: the Regular Curriculum (RC), and the Advanced Curriculum (AC). The RC consists of ordinary students being honed into perfection by the most capable teachers they can get. Of course, not all can enter RC that easily. But, comparing it with how students in the AC were picked, it was very much easier. Because, in AC, the school administrators only pick the finest, elite students fit to belong to the said curriculum. And, even if you are currently enrolled in the RC, you will always be given a chance to prove yourself...that you deserve to enrol in the AC, where only the best of the best can gain slots.

But...if you are a part of the Konohagakure Gakuen community, you would most probably be interested about their eccentric student council.

The top students in regular and advanced curriculums are assigned as student committee members of their respective curriculum. Naturally, the one who are ranked 1st in each curriculum is appointed as student council president. And, they are the only ones eligible to run as the supreme student council president and vice president, depending on which is greater between the two of them. It is determined by their overall performance in the Preliminary term of each school year. The one who will gain the student council president seat has the control of the whole student body. That is, on both curriculums. Well, although both student presidents will still be in control of their respective curriculum, it is the supreme student council president who controls the general affairs and the auditing and accounting, so he will be in control on distribution of funds.

Of course, it never occurred in the history of Konohagakure Supreme Student Council (SSC) that a RC Student Council President became the SSC president. That is why RC students were always in deficit of funds. They never have the enough finances to support their student council's projects, and so they are progressing slower than the advanced curriculum. They are not able to attend to their curriculum students' educational needs. And, since their opponent is the AC, they lost hope already. But...their fate might be changed by their arrival.

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**A/N: **YAY!! That's the boring prologue. Haha. I'll be posting the first chapter a few days from now, because i'm still editing .

**A/N (again): **(1) Koutougakkou - High School/Senior High School. I'm being too hasty again. *sigh*

Jya. Reviews are really appreciated. domo!^_^


	2. 1: The Prince and the Princess

**A/N: **Hmm. I didn't expect that I would have thought of a plot that would take me more or less 15 chapters to finish. Well, that's fine, I guess. First times are always great. I hope I could do it properly, though. *sighs* I have so much plans for this fic, because Naruto and Sasuke were just so cute that I can't help myself. ^^,. On the second note, if you cannot find this fic in the T section, look for the M section. I now declare it as mature *evil grin*. And, as always, reviews, whether positive or negative, will always be appreciated, so thank you in advance. ^_^

**Warning/s: **SMUT in the later chapters. You have been forewarned. So don't flame. And, if you're not that keen to one-sided OroSasu, ItaSasu and ItaNaru, don't read, because there's some of it...well, maybe not ItaSasu.

**Disclaimer: **If I do own Naruto, I wouldn't have written a fanfic, right? So, don't ask anymore.

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**An Eccentric Student Council**

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**1: The Prince and the Princess**

It is yet the supreme student council committee appointment period, which is also the release of the Preliminary Exam results. Everyone's hyped as usual; but, lately, the students were much more excited in the results, especially the regular curriculum students, which, until almost two years ago, were not interested in the student council appointment. They have already abandoned their hopes of controlling the advanced curriculum. Who are they to compete against them, in the first place? They are only mere regulars against the cream-of-the-crop students of advanced curriculum. But, somehow, the direction of the wind changed in favour of them.

As expected, students got their bets on who is going to be the main student council president, and the battle has become fiercer that it had ever been. But, the two candidates never cared about the president's seat. Because both of them had a goal much greater than being a president: to defeat each other.

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto was really getting busier and busier as the SSC committee appointment drew close. Here he was, amending, revising, and signing the project proposals for the regular curriculum student council (RCSC), writing up progress reports, meeting with the committee members of RCSC, and is now on his way to the SSC office to deal with one egotistical bastard in there. Jeez, it's hard enough to accomplish the tasks with only the two of them as members of the SSC, and that genius bastard only makes it worse. And, speaking of the egotistical bastard, Naruto has high hopes of "crushing" the ego out of him this time. No, he would not settle for another draw. He could never acknowledge it as an achievement. And to think this would be his last chance of fully defeating him, he will not let go of that chance.

His musings while walking along the hallway were disturbed, however, by a mass of brown tackling him into the ground.

"Oi, Naruto. Aren't you finished yet? Fancy taking a break?" grinned the culprit, a spiky-haired, brunette male with red triangle marks on both side of his cheeks, and with features similar to a dog's.

Naruto sighed, "Nope. I'll need to bring the reports to the _other supreme student council president._" He stressed bitterly on the last four words. "Besides, I can't afford to lax at this time of the year. That bastard would steal the limelight from me, for sure. And..." he paused, took a deep breath, and shouted, so that everyone within the 10-mile radius from him heard him clearly, "I TOLD YOU TO REMOVE THOSE HIDEOUS MARKS ON YOUR FACE! AND NO PETS ALLOWED!" He pointed indignantly at the offending dog now perched on the brunette's head. "For goodness sake, Inuzuka Kiba, being a member of the RCSC committee doesn't give you privilege to nonchalantly neglect the school rules!"

Kiba faked a wounded look, "But, president, Akamaru's getting lonely lately. He'll gonna die if I lack attention...and don't I look cool with these marks?" But he resigned almost immediately, standing up and holding out his hand in front of Naruto.

"Yeah, yeah...as if that's true," Naruto glared, before taking Kiba's hand and stood up. "You know that I am sticking strictly to the rules, and I am requiring all of you committee members to set an example for our fellow schoolmates."

"I understand that," Kiba complained, "But, our 'prince' rarely gives attention to us these past few days, and is always going out with the AC's 'princess'—"

"That bastard is anything but princess-like," Naruto argued. "I mean, what characteristics of an ideal princess apply to _him_?"

Kiba chuckled as they continued walking along the hallway, "yeah, you're right. But...he could really fit as a dark princess."

"Ha ha, he's more befitting of the role Odile in the 'Swan Lake',"

"...Who's more befitting of the role Odile, eh? Usuratonkachi."

Naruto looked around, only to find the "princess's" face an inch away from his own. He gulped.

"Eh...Sasuke," he managed to choke out.

"Hn. Certainly, RC's 'prince' is just a dobe in reality," Uchiha Sasuke replied cooly, without pulling away from him. The "prince" was unnerved at his attitude, yet he was still able to fume at Sasuke's actions.

"Dobe," Sasuke repeated, and then Naruto realizes the proximity of Sasuke's face from his own. His eyes widen in shock at the sudden consciousness...thus reflexively pushing off Sasuke with greater force than an adrenaline-rushed person lifting an appliance.

Fortunately, Sasuke had gathered his strength to suppress much of Naruto's force, avoiding collision against the floor. "Dobe! What the hell are you doing?!"

"That's my line, teme!" Naruto spat out.

Sasuke sighed, and explained, with an expression most suitable to someone teaching a toddler what is equal to one plus one, "Hn, it seems that you have time for leisurely working. And since you're unreliable as usual, I took the liberty of coming down here to get the reports."

"Tch. As you can see, I'm on my way to the office, so you shouldn't bother yourself by stepping your foot in our _territory_," Naruto emphasized on the last word. The raven-haired shrugged.

"Hn. You seem to hate the ACs roaming around in your area, Naruto."

"There's no doubt about it, bastard. You and all of the ACs are not fit in here. All of the people here are humble, and not egotistic like you."

"Hn. Whatever."

Naruto seethed. _That bastard, I'm going to kick the daylight out of him once I become the _sole _SSC president_, he mused. But he replied, "Yeah, yeah. Let's just go back to the office...Kiba, tell Sakura-chan that I've gone to the SSC office." Kiba nodded.

"Well, then, _President_. We still have lots of work to do," Naruto started to walk off.

"Yes, _President,_" Sasuke replied, following the blond-haired guy. Naruto ignored his sarcastic reply.

* * *

It's just the two of them in their office, and Naruto was now at his limit. It just seems like, even if they've been working for hours, their work continue to pile up. He remembered the first time he has been here as the SSC president, that he was so stunned at that time because of the mountain of works awaiting them. Sasuke, then, was not being of help at all. He only watched in fascination as Naruto suffers from doing his tasks, commenting by and by that he's a dobe who works more slowly than a turtle. Naruto responded by giving his companion a pain in his ass. Literally.

But, now...

"Dobe, I'm already finished with this. Are there anything else to do?" Sasuke asked voluntarily, while he dropped his pen on the table and leaned his back on the chair.

"No, we're done for today. I'm almost finished with this, so you can leave now if you want," Naruto answered over stacks of papers that he has finished signing.

The raven leaned on the table in response, looking at Naruto with much enthusiasm. "No. I'll be waiting for you and we'll leave together..."

Naruto looked up, looking at Sasuke in confusion.

"...I don't want anyone to say that I'm really irresponsible, leaving all the work to you."

The blonde sighed, "You only care about your image, Sasuke."

"Not really. Image is not my concern at all."

"Hmm? Then what is?" Naruto asked.

"Let's see...Finally defeating you this time, and be the sole SSC president, I guess. I really don't enjoy the fact that I'm sharing the same position with you, you see," Sasuke answered truthfully.

Naruto stacked the papers in the table, already finished with his work. "I do agree with that," he said, "but...do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"Hn. Not really. What is it?"

"...do you really hate working with me that much?"

Sasuke went silent for a moment, looking at Naruto intently. But then, he spoke, "what makes you think that?"

"Well, you said you're not really keen to the idea of sharing the same position with me."

_That's not the case at all,_ Sasuke thought, _it's quite the opposite, actually._

"Well?" Naruto pressed on.

"Hmm..." Sasuke mock-pondered for awhile, then replied, "I only said that I don't want sharing the same position with you. I didn't say that I didn't enjoy working with you. If you could have been the vice-president, perhaps..."

"It could have been you, teme."

Sasuke chuckled, "In your dreams, dobe."

"What did you say, teme?!"

Sasuke continued to laugh quietly. Naruto, despite pouting, was having an eased feeling that was evident in his face. It's only once in a while that the stuck-up freak laugh genuinely, after all.

The laughter died, and then silence enveloped the whole room. Neither of them spoke for awhile, until Sasuke cleared his throat.

"It's your turn to answer my question, dobe," he said.

Naruto considered it for a moment, "...fine, I guess. What is it?"

Sasuke thought of it for a second, "You were offered a chance to enrol in the advanced curriculum before, right? A few days before the entrance ceremony, if I wasn't mistaken...why didn't you take the opportunity?"

The blonde was taken aback by the raven's question. He hadn't expected that at all. But, calmly, he replied, "That's because AC students are all bastards like you. I wouldn't want to blend in your type of crowd."

Sasuke wasn't too pleased with his answer, "you're being unreasonable. I answered your question honestly, so you have to answer yours as truthfully as you can."

"I know I can't fool you with that fraudulent reason," Naruto confirmed. "Hmm. But...the reason's just kind of egoistic and melodramatic. Are you sure you want to hear it?"

"...I asked you. Surely I would like to hear that story of yours."

Naruto gave him a sad smile, "Of course. I shouldn't have asked."

"At least you know now."

He sighed, _There's no use trying to escape, I guess._ "Well, then...you've heard of the fourth school chairman, right? Tsunade-baachan's predecessor."

Sasuke nodded, "Namikaze Minato. What about him?"

There was a long pause after that. Then, Naruto responded...

"...Everything."

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**A/N: **To be continued *sigh*. At long last, I've finished chapter 1. Next chapter's title would be "Of flashbacks, truths, and lies". I think you all get the idea. And, as always, I would appreciate it if you would review my work. ^^,


	3. 2: Of Flashbacks, Truths and Deceits

**A/N: **moshi, moshi! i'm back again with another chapter. this chapter was entitled "Of Flashbacks, Truths and Lies" before, but "deceit" is a much better word, so there's the new title. it was quite long, and i don't know if i did right with this chapter. But I do hope you would like this chapter, even though it's pretty serious and quite dramatic. well. there's a hint of itasasu in here (on a brotherly level, that is). so i've warned you all who don't like it. so...i'll wait for your reviews, good or otherwise.^_^

**Warning/s: **Shounen-ai, yaoi in later chapters. SasuNaru (if i have written NaruSasu in the previous chapters, my bad). ItaSasu, ItaNaru, and OroSasu in later chapters. you have been warned. so don't flame.

**Disclaimer: **I'm not Kishimoto-san, so I don't own the whole Naruto merchandise, just borrowing it for a while.

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**An Eccentric Student Council

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**2: Of Flashbacks, Truths and Deceits**

"_Namikaze Minato. What about him?"_

"_...Everything."_

Another long pause, then Naruto continued, "Not exactly everything, though..."

Sasuke was now watching him with interest, "What's he got to do with that, then?"

"I see you're getting impatient, but we're getting there...it's a long story, anyway. And I doubt you would even know about that particular affair, anyway. You wouldn't even understand."

The raven-haired smirked, "You wouldn't even know what _I _know. I'm an Uchiha, after all."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Naruto half-heartedly answered. "Then tell me what you know."

Sasuke obliged, "Namikaze Minato...died in a car accident, right? A week before the supposed nuptial to his lover, Uzumaki Kushina..." He paused upon realization of what he had said, still in mild shock about the identity of that person whom the fourth school chairman should tie his destiny with, and her relation to the blond in front of him.

"...she's your mother, right?"

Silence followed, just for a moment.

"...yes," the blonde affirmed.

It was really painful for Naruto to reminisce the past. But, here he was, suddenly recalling those painful, sorrowful memories that he has had, with a bastard of a genius for an audience. He sighed, as images of his past flashed one by one in his mind.

* * *

_It was, again, the autumn season. And, while the soon-to-be-eight-year-old Naruto sits in the chin-up bar alone, other children of his age were playing in sand boxes in groups, while their parents chatted casually on the bench nearby. Ah, he longed to play with other children and live a normal life. But fate really prevented him from doing so._

_He descended from the bar, and walked away. He cannot do anything about it, really. Might as well he go home and accompany his mother. As he passed by the benches, however, the adults were talking curtly._

"_Hey, isn't that boy..." said one woman._

"_Shh!" warned the other woman, "He might hear us!"_

"_So what?" another woman replied, "A son of a disgraced woman won't change even if he hear us."_

"_But…he might get violent on our children if he couldn't take it any longer."_

"_Tch. That's why I always tell my son not to go near him. They might get infected with his idiocy and viciousness."_

_One of them laughed harshly, "Really, he's just like his mother. Just a trash to the society…"_

_Naruto did not hear what's coming next, nor he cared if he had heard it or not. They're just adding insult to the "injury"…_

Trash to the society, huh, _he thought, as he left the park. _They don't know anything at all.

_Maple leaves continue to scatter around in his wake._

* * *

"_Mom," he called out as he stepped inside their small flat. He fell silent, however, when he noticed few pairs of shoes in their shoe rack. _They came again, _he thought, _what is it now?

_He silently threaded along the hallway, gradually hearing voices as he neared their living room._

"_...are you sure about this, sensei? Are they really keen to..." he heard his mother speak._

_Another voice replied her, an old man's, perhaps. "Yes, you know how they insist on taking him to the main house, Kushina..."_

Main house? _He pondered, _Are they intending to...?

_He decided to show himself to the crowd waiting for him. The occupants of the room fell silent upon his presence. He already knew the three of them who visited him and his mother: his father's brother and his wife, and his father's advisor. It's his first time, however, to see all three of them together._

"_Mom," he said, "Is anything the matter here?"_

_His mother didn't look at him, nor did she reply his query. Instead, it was his uncle who answered him, "...It was decided by the main family, as well as your mother, that we take you to the main house for good. You know what it means, don't you?"_

_Naruto was quiet. He already knew this all along. It was impossible to bring his mother with him, after all._

"_...yes. I understand. But...wasn't there any way? Wouldn't my mother be forgiven at all? She wasn't even proven guilty..."_

_His uncle shook his head, "You already know how your grandparents harbour feelings of resentment toward your mother, right? ...Even we cannot clear her name. That's why we've decided to take care of you, so you would be spared from rejection and prejudice that you don't deserve...."_

"_Your mother agreed to this, too, you know, since she knows what's best for you..."his aunt added. "Although I know it will be hard on her part, I know that you understand that she has your best interests at heart."Jiraiya, his father's advisor, as he had nothing to add anymore, nodded in agreement._

_Naruto submitted. He has always known, always...and yet, he couldn't repay that gesture. Even until now, she still cares for his well being, even at the expense of her own happiness. Always..._

_This is what he can only do for now. Leaving his mother would be painful for both of them, but it's the obvious choice that they should make. The only thing that he can do for his mom...is to prove his worth to the Namikaze clan, and being recognized by the family who condemn his mother._

"_Yes, I accept your decision," he agreed half-heartedly. "But, I have a favour to ask of you..."_

* * *

Both of them were silent for a while, Sasuke being rigid in his seat, while Naruto buried his face in his hand.

The blonde regained his voice, looked up to Sasuke and said, "Well, that's how it is. Pretty dramatic, isn't it?" He laughed hollowly. That gesture, along with his watering eyes and his reluctant grin, did not escape the raven's eyes. He threw his handkerchief across the table, towards Naruto. Naruto gave him a quizzical look.

"How else should that be used, dobe? Wipe your eyes with that...they might accuse me of harassing you," Sasuke tried to justify his actions, hiding his awkwardness. Naruto grinned, genuinely this time.

"Haha. Don't you?" he jokingly opposed.

"Usuratonkachi," was the raven's only reply. The other chuckled.

"Whatever, teme."

"Hn." Sasuke said, but he added, "If that was the case then...why didn't you join the Advanced Curriculum, and instead enrolled in Regular Curriculum?"

The boy being questioned was now leaning towards his interrogator, "for obvious reasons, actually. Wouldn't be being a SSC president while belonging on the RC a better achievement than while belonging in AC? I prefer success beyond reach."

"You got a point there," Sasuke agreed.

"Of course, bastard," he seconded. But his face still showed bitterness and sorrow. Sasuke considered if he will continue prying on his rival's life or not, but decided on the first.

"...do you hate the Namikazes?"

Naruto shook his head, "absolutely not. I couldn't have been more indebted to them...I just wished that they would finally forgive my mother and accept her as a part of the family." He sighed, "Not that she had anything to do with my father's death anyway."

Sasuke didn't push further; he just remained unspoken, waiting for Naruto to talk first. Naruto accepted.

"...Well, that's my motivation before."

Sasuke was intrigued, "Hmm, how about now?"

Naruto didn't answer immediately. Instead, he smiled at the raven-haired male and said, "I'm more concerned about beating the crap out of you, lately." The latter smirked in response. "As if you could, dobe."

"Stop that, teme!" Naruto argued indifferently. Sasuke laughed.

The school bell rang. Both took notice of their surroundings; it was past six in the afternoon, and, outside, it was getting dark.

Sasuke stood up, "Hey, Naruto. It's time for us to go."

Naruto looked up; a thought occurred to him all of a sudden.

"Hmm…but, I wanted to know about your past, too, Sasuke…"

The raven was silent. He averted his eyes from Naruto, and said, "It's just something trivial."

The blond pouted, "Still, I want to know."

Sasuke was rigid. He was releasing off tensed aura around him. That subject was completely sensitive for him, after all. But, he managed to calm down.

"…dobe. You already had your turn earlier. Try your luck next time…" he said, without even looking at Naruto. He shook ever so slightly. "Then, shall we go home now…?"

Naruto understood. He knew it was anything but trivial. Maybe he was pushing too far; for Sasuke to be this…vulnerable…in front of him. That subject was too painful for him to be brought out this early.

"…Yes, let's go."

"Hn," replied Sasuke, who had now recovered.

The council room was left empty, letting a glimmer of moonlight illuminate the dark room.

* * *

Naruto slumped in his bed upon entering his room. It was a long day, after all. His uncle and aunt are out on a business trip for the whole week, so he could relax just a little. It was hard putting up a front before them. Even if he had considered them family a long time ago…he couldn't bear to show any kind of weakness, especially on the emotional aspect.

He was really looking forward to having an unperturbed week...but his father's, and, at this time, his advisor, doesn't let him so.

"Hey, brat! How long are you gonna stay there like that?!" Jiraiya's voice rang throughout the house.

Naruto covered his ears with his pillows, "Jeez, you're disturbing my sleep, ero-sensei!"

Said perverted teacher forcefully opened the window (a/n: that's why doors are invented, moron), and entered without permission.

"Aren't you even going to pay your respects to your father?! Your grandparents already went ahead of you!"growled a middle-aged man with white hair that can't be compared to those acquired when in such age, wearing olive green kimono and hakama donned with a red kimono coat.

Naruto looked at him in confusion. Then, it hit him: it was the 16th day of July, the day of his father's death. Upon realizing this, he instantly stood up and hurriedly rummaging his wardrobe.

"Shit, why have I forgotten about that?! Stupid reports, stupid prelims, stupid Sasuke..." he cursed under his breath. His duties as the SSC president, along with spending his time with Sasuke's company, have diverted his attention on the more important things.

Jiraiya imposed himself to sit at the edge of the young boy's bed, looking at Naruto, "just do it tomorrow. It's too late to go out now. Besides," he lighted his ancient-looking pipe, blowing it without much regard to the occupant, "It's understandable, since you're already busy with _flirting_ with that Uchiha—"

"If you want to smoke that pipe, do it outside," Naruto cut him. "And, you know too well that I'm NOT, not in the very least, flirting with that stuck-up prick," He added coolly. He contented himself with sitting in his swivel chair, facing the conceited old man.

"Why are you here, anyway?"

"Hmm…" Jiraiya answered matter-of-factly, "obviously, I was asked by your parents to watch over you while they're gone,"

"Yeah, yeah…I know that. I mean, what are you doing here this late at night? I don't think you have that much leisure time to check up on me, and you only leave notes and rarely drop by when you are asked to look over me…except when the deadline's nearing," Naruto explained, much more matter-of-factly than his advisor. He's much too used with his ero-sensei's antics when the deadline's approaching.

"Don't say that, Naruto..." his advisor defended, "It's not like I do disrupt your relaxation time..."

"Yes, you do."

Jiraiya snubbed, "Hmph, you're really not like your father at all. The only common between both of you was the looks." He smoked his pipe again, without much regard to what Naruto has been pointing out since earlier, "At least Minato understands my position."

The young boy snorted, "Father was only putting up with your indolence. Even before mother and him..." his word trail off at the sudden recall of his family in the past. Jiraiya, although he's taunting the poor child at his convenience, still cares for Naruto as though he was his own grandchild, like how he had treated Minato in the past.

He put out his pipe, eyes looking serious as he said, "Your father was a good man. He loved Kushina and you more than his own life. I think Kushina feels the same, too, for him. Though she was from a family rooting from the Edo period's geishas, I know she hasn't had those same traits as her relatives. And just as both of them managed to convince the elders of their marriage…"

Naruto sighed deeply, "Aah, I know that. But…why must it happen that way?"

Jiraiya leaned backwards, "I don't know, either…I'm checking on it, though." Naruto looked at him quizzically.

"…and I think I've got a lead on who's the real culprit, this time," he assured to Naruto. Naruto smiled.

"Aah. I believe in you…"Naruto said, "But…more importantly, I think you should _finish the manga_ first…Kakashi-sensei will come in here any second." He held up his phone, which was currently establishing a connection with another phone, and was probably able to hear their voices, especially Jiraiya's.

"You bastard!!"

* * *

"Tadaima," Sasuke announced his presence upon entering the lobby of his western-inspired manor.

"Okaeri nasai, Sasuke-bocchama," greeted the butlers and maids who were waiting for his arrival. His assistant (a/n: yup. An assistant. Imagine how filthy rich he was) opted to carry his bag for him, while he walked down the lobby. The family's head butler, Konan, welcomed his master at the foot of the grand staircase.

"Sasuke-sama, your father wants to inform you that they went ahead with Itachi-sama for his omiai (1)," Konan reported to Sasuke. "They're asking you to—"he was cut off by the raven-haired teen.

"Tell them I'm not going," he instructed her.

"B-but, Sasuke-sama—"

Sasuke's eyes looked colder than usual as he glared at her, "Do I have to repeat myself? Besides, I am not needed in that kind of social gathering, and I am not fond of such as well." He turned his back to the butler, "I'm not eating dinner, so don't come disturbing me in my room," he added. He climbed the staircase, his assistant hurriedly following him and simply apologized for her master's attitude, leaving the saddened butler in his wake.

* * *

Sasuke entered his room, and asked his assistant to place his bag on the table and leave his room immediately. He's been pretty petulant even before he arrived at the Uchiha manor, and it was made worse by the mere mention of him brother.

Maybe because a certain someone made him remember that bastard of a brother earlier. He sighed. Naruto really has its own way of worming through his private life, which he didn't seem to care, much to his own chagrin.

As he stepped towards his rather large wardrobe and was about to change to his casual clothing, he noticed that his assistant hadn't left. She blushed as his master bored his eyes into her.

"U-uhm, Sasuke-sama..." spoke Karin, his assistant. Sasuke gave her a smirk.

"Hn. Do you think you can do something about my problem now, eh? Karin," he taunted.

Karin fidgeted under her master's glare, and replied timidly, "I-If there's something that I could do at the best of my abilities, I...I will definitely make you happy, Sasuke-sama."

"Heh, what if it is something like this?" he asked, then pulled her and throw her on his bed. He went on top of the blushing teenage girl, pinning her. Poor Karin was shivering, unbeknownst to her if due to fear or anticipation.

But her young master whispered in her ear, as cold as his personality can reflect, "Unfortunately, I have no interest in anyone." He stood up and sat at the edge of the bed, "now, leave my room this instant."

Karin was silent for a while, before she regained her senses, "As you wish, Sasuke-sama," the hurriedly stood up and left the room.

Sasuke proceeded to his wardrobe, like nothing unusual happened. After changing, he let himself flop on the mattress, too tired to even work on his homework. Something was messing around in his mind, leaving him no choice but to entertain those thoughts.

Lately, some blond idiot has invaded his mind frequently. And, just now, said idiot was now the object of his thoughts. This time, he was now too curious of his rival's life. This, for the cold and indifferent Sasuke, is an unusual occurrence to him, because never in his entire life was he ever interested in other people's affairs. It's as if...he had forgotten all about his purpose, his goal...his aim.

How can this happen to him?

His brother was now out of his reach, he wondered if he could even be able to surpass him with his own abilities...without anyone's help. He couldn't even defeat some idiot. He clenched his fist against the quilt in frustration. His thoughts were now back on Naruto, again.

He sighed in annoyance, his right arm covering his black orbs. He remembered what he had said earlier to his assistant, and sighed again.

_Not interested in anyone, eh?_ He mused, _maybe I am interested in one..._

Slumber engulfed the weary princess, and he succumbed to the sleep calling out to him.

* * *

"_Nii-san! Nii-san!!" eight-year-old Sasuke called upon his brother, running along the staircase. His brother, Uchiha Itachi, has arrived from the Middle School Kendo Nationals held in Kanagawa, bringing home another victory for his school and his family._

_Itachi dropped his luggage for the maids to take and bring up to his room, kneeling and spreading his arms out to let his little brother hug him. Sasuke did so._

"_Okaeri, nii-san! Omedetou gozaimasu!" he mumbled through his brother's chest. His brother smiled._

"_Aah,tadaima, Sasuke-kun. Arigatou," he replied, while ruffling Sasuke's hair. Said boy was not too pleased with that._

"_Stop that, nii-san," he pouted. Itachi laughed and ruffled his little brother's hair even more. "Sasuke-kun is so cute when he pouts like that."_

"_Not," Sasuke argued, but then added, "Ne, ne, nii-san, let's play together! It's been a while since we did so."_

_Just then, their father and mother showed up, welcoming their eldest son home._

"_Sasuke, you should let your brother rest first," his father reprimanded his youngest son. "Okaeri, Itachi."_

_Itachi carried his little brother while standing up, greeting his father and mother._

"_Tadaima, mother, father..."_

_Fugaku, his father, nodded, "You were always making us proud, Itachi. Keep up the good work."_

"_Yes, father," he answered. His mother, Mikoto, added, "You must be tired, Itachi-kun. Take a shower first before we eat dinner."_

_Itachi nodded, and then put down his little brother to the ground._

"_We'll play together later, then, Sasuke-kun," he said, poking his little brother's forehead._

"_Yes," Sasuke answered rather grumpily. Itachi ruffled his hair again, "It'll only be quick, chibisuke _(2)_. Ok?"_

_Sasuke pouted at his brother's choice of words, but nodded nevertheless. He followed his brother with his eyes, as he climbed up the staircase toward his room to change._

* * *

Sasuke abruptly opened his eyes, then automatically sat up and took a look at the digital clock. It read 23:45.

"Almost midnight, huh?" he mumbled sleepily. He leaned on the headboard, sighing deeply. It was ages ago since he last dreamt about that...one of his then-precious memories with his brother. He closed his eyes as he sank back into his bed, breathing one word before he finally drifted off to sleep.

"Nii-san..."

* * *

**A/N: ***sigh* that was a long one. I do wish I could have condensed it or something. ah, well. I'll try to shorten other chapters after this as much as possible. ^_^. and, some notes from the fic:

(1) omiai - a marriage appointment, where two prospects of opposite sex would meet and know more of each other. or something like that. haha.

(2) chibisuke - nope, i did not intend to use chibisuke just because it looked like "chibi" + "sasuke". zettai chigau no. chibisuke means "shorty", sometimes meant to be an insult, sometimes as a cuddly and cute pet name.

i'm waiting for your reviews, minna-sama. jya!


	4. 3: Tea and Sake Don't Go Well Together

**A/N: **Whew. This was longer than I expected. Part of the reason might be because I've neglected posting this for too long, and it was open to revisions. And taking up an Ethics subject doesn't help, either, since it gives me more ideas than I can handle (I really wonder how my Ethics instructor would react if he knew where his lectures were being used. *grins slyly*). Anyway, I would like to apologize for the delay of uploading. I know i don't have any excuses, and that I'm pretty much procrastinating, that's why it took me two months to type this. And I'm very much ashamed of that. But, I'll really try to make up for it as much as I can. And, as always, reviews and criticisms are very much welcome, as long as it is constructive. Enjoy reading!

**Warning/s: **SMUT in the next chapters. Yaoi. SasuNaru. ItaSasu, ItaNaru, and OroSasu (I'm pretty much against this, but I'm putting it to emphasize a point. And, no, they won't have any intimate contact) in later chapters. Seeing as I have warned you from the very beginning, and I have stated that I wanted commentaries to be constructive, I won't tolerate flames.

**Disclaimer: **I own everything in Naruto...in my dreams.

* * *

**An Eccentric Student Council**

**

* * *

3: Tea and Sake Don't Go Well Together**

_Click, click, click_. The sound of the retractable pen being pressed repeatedly echoed in Naruto's ears as his mind was being preoccupied with yesterday's events, not even paying attention to the discussion currently occurring in their classroom. His mind idly ventured to his raven bastard of a rival, thinking about what's bothering him.

"_It's just something trivial..."_

_Trivial, huh,_ the blonde teen mused. _That's anything but trivial..._

Still wrapped up in his thoughts, Naruto continued pressing his pen absentmindedly, staring fixedly to the board.

"_...do you hate the Namikazes?"_ echoed Sasuke in his mind, the scenes replaying like a worn disc.

_Heh, I can't blame him for thinking like that... then again, I might be, even if a little._

The class went on, and Naruto was still lost in his musings. Someone patted him on his shoulder, but he didn't seem to mind. Even the calls of his name felt distant to him, and he felt like he wasn't anywhere anymore.

Not until a chalk hit his forehead at a pinpoint accuracy that Naruto was able to return to his senses.

"Ouch..." he hissed, rubbing his forehead as the whole class roared with laughter at him.

"That's for not listening to my discussion, Uzumaki," reprimanded the culprit, a Calculus instructor in an appearance of a young man in a tight ponytail with a prominent scar running horizontally along his nose and wearing a white buttoned shirt underneath a gray coat with matching gray slacks. His expression stern, he glared at the tan male with such intensity that Naruto involuntarily twitched and started lecturing the poor blonde.

"Just because you already know what we're taking up doesn't entitle you to not pay attention to the discussion at hand, don't you think, Mr. President?" Naruto blushed in embarrassment, as his classmates sniggered.

Umino Iruka sighed dejectedly, seeing that he had done enough scolding to his student, "Well, be grateful that I will let this pass, since you have, again, dominated the preliminary ranking for the regular curriculum—"

"Was it out already?!" Kiba chirped in suddenly. Iruka sighed again, this time for the over enthusiasm shown by his class at the mention of preliminary rankings. That meant the future of the whole student body in the hands of whoever comes first in the overall.

"...yeah, Inuzuka-kun, as well as the overall ranking...too bad you're beaten in the 2nd place by Aburame-kun from AC class 3-A in the overall ranking, eh?" Everyone laughed as Kiba shrunk down in his seat, red in the face. "And, if you're really that eager to know, the highest average grade is 98.96...which is Uzumaki-kun and Uchiha-kun's." The last statement was greeted by groans and curses from the class, Naruto included.

"That can't be helped, right? Both of them were equally skilled in everything, so it's really hard to break the tie. That's just fine, since Uzumaki-kun will be serving the whole student body, RC and AC, again, alongside Uchiha-kun," the instructor consoled. "In my opinion, it is better that they both become presidents of the Supreme Student Council so that neither of them dominates the other."

"Man, that's our last chance slipping away from our grasp," whined a bleach-blonde-haired girl, looking defeated. "We haven't been given a chance to rule over them."

"I'm the one who should feel disconsolate, Ino, you know..." said an irate Naruto. _Not again, _he thought, _every _single _damn time._ He was already feeling the disappointment of his classmates, and that made him feel even more miserable than he was already.

The pitiable instructor tried to dispel the awful atmosphere in the class, "well, well, that's enough already. Like I said, that can't be helped, so don't make Uzumaki-kun feel down with all your whining." That didn't work, much to his despair.

He was saved from thinking of how to brighten the mood when someone knocked on the door, grabbing the attention of the students.

"Yes, come in," Iruka called, and in came the 'unwanted' guest.

Still in his usual white polo shirt tucked nicely in a black school trousers, and donned with a dark-green neck tie (the uniform of the AC students), Sasuke stood out amongst the green-clad RC class 3-A students. His presence speaks of elegance and sophistication not usually seen with the students of the Regular Curriculum, and that pisses them more. Naruto, however, was too accustomed to it already that he didn't mind the raven teen's unintentional showing off to his classmates. The fact that he was here, on the other hand, was what gave the blonde the unnerved feeling.

"I have received a word from the chairman that she's asking for our presence before her as soon as possible," Sasuke delivered effortlessly, even though he's currently situated in the "enemy's" territory. Iruka nodded in acknowledgement of his statement.

"I was expecting it since earlier. Uzumaki-kun, you're excused."

Naruto abruptly stood up from his seat, "Yes, Iruka-sensei." He then followed the paler teen, who had already gone outside.

* * *

A knock on the door disturbed Tsunade with her paperwork, not that she did not expect it. She closed the portfolio as she gestured her assistant, Shizune, to open the door and beckon the anticipated company inside.

"Good afternoon, Tsunade-sama," the two SSC presidents greeted without much enthusiasm. After all, they've been doing this for more than two years now, and they didn't expect any more from the big-busted woman who's obviously going on an anti-aging treatment. Like always, they prompted themselves to sit in the armchairs in front of the school chairman's desk. Said chairman started briefing them afterwards.

"We have already received the allocated funds from the school treasury for the school council budget. You already know the drill, and I'm expecting the written break-down report by tomorrow. Also, the board of directors needed a draft of the plans of the council for this term by next week. Progress reports will be handed by then, too. Also...we're doing renovations for the approaching biannual Five-School Competition, and one of those who will be revamped will be the supreme student council office, so please move all the necessary materials from that room until the project is finished."

"W-wait a minute! Where will we be working, then? As you know, the sudden increase in the student population had made the all the rooms be occupied by a class. There are no more unused classrooms to move into," Naruto stated. Somehow, he's getting a bad vibe about this. And, most of the time, his intuitions are right, like now.

"Well...if that's the case, then you could take home all your work, preferably at your residence, Naruto."

_No freaking way!_

"And why is that you prefer both of us doing work in _my _house?"

Tsunade pondered for awhile before answering, "It's because things are getting busy at Sasuke's home, isn't it?" she nodded at Sasuke, who nodded once in affirmation. "My brother's accepted the omiai, so they're busy with the arrangements for the upcoming marriage rite."

"So I've heard," replied the chairman, "I've received word from Fugaku. I'd say he was very happy about it." The pale teen only shrugged.

"So then, there's no other alternative than to work at _my _place? Oh, great," Naruto muttered sarcastically. Here he was, looking forward to a nice, peaceful, and relaxing week without his aunt and uncle, and it was suddenly ruined by having accompanied by a certain raven-haired male even at the confines of the Namikaze household.

Tsunade dismissed the evident disdain in the tanned male's tone, "It's much more convenient that way. Besides, your guardians are out for an important business affair for a week, aren't they?"

"You know too much, Tsunade-baachan."

"It's because they _let me_ know about it, brat. If you don't want it, then resign to your post. I believe Sasuke is beyond capable of doing both of your work by himself, anyway," the busty chairman taunted the already unstable blonde. That was quite a cliché and overused on her part, but that always works like magic when used against Naruto. Already, said teen gritted his teeth in frustration, and was bound to bend to her will sooner.

"...alright, I get it. Can we leave now?" Naruto surrendered.

"Glad to hear it from you, Naruto. And, yes, you are dismissed."

Tsunade wasn't even finished when Naruto closed the door behind him, followed by Sasuke. Tsunade sighed in relief, having some of the school's concerns resolved already. Leaning back on her swivel chair, she took another sip of her sake, calming herself.

"That brat, he really reminds me of her..."

* * *

The usually cluttered and cramped council room became spacious and bare when Naruto and Sasuke finished packing up the room's belongings orderly into their respective boxes, once their classes ended. Furniture was set aside in a corner, cartons were stacked against the wall, and those that will not be needed were placed in black garbage bags near the door. All the while, neither of them spoke to each other, thinking that it's just a waste of energy to talk, seeing as there's so much to pack and clean in the room. Once they're finished, though, Naruto indifferently lay down on the cold floor, exhausted to extremes, while Sasuke contented himself with sitting on the floor while leaning on the cemented wall.

"Dobe, you'll catch a cold if you stay like that," the raven tiredly remarked to the blond sprawled on the floor, to which Naruto replied a "mind your own business, teme." Sasuke heaved a sigh in defeat.

"Fine. Besides, people used to say that idiots don't get colds."

"Funny, I never noticed you having caught a cold," Naruto teased.

"That's because I do a balanced diet, and not limit myself to eating that hideously salty cuisine."

"Ramen is not hideously salty!" Naruto defended, "Just because I eat ramen _almost_ all the time doesn't mean I don't eat a balanced meal."

"Hn. Whatever."

"Tch, you're such a lousy bastard."

"At least I'm not a moron."

"TEME!"

"Hn. Dobe," Sasuke said, before he got up and went towards the carton boxes, and asked the blonde. "So, which shall we bring first today?"

Naruto sat up, flexing his shoulders and arms. "Those that we need to pass for this week, I think... you're really excited about this, aren't you?"

"Not really, I'm just curious about how your place looked like," the pale teen answered. "Do you cook?"

The tan-skinned male looked over him in bewilderment, standing up as he did so, "...yeah. Why do you ask?"

"I just don't want to eat that heart attack in a cup."

"Lucky you, I'm out of cup ramen."

"That's good to hear," Sasuke said in relief, then proceeded with carrying the necessary containers. Naruto followed suit, and they both left the bare council room.

* * *

The Namikaze household that Naruto currently resides in is just one of the many mansions owned by the Namikaze clan, and not the main house of the Namikazes. But, on the common person's perspective, the Namikaze household in Tokyo is anything but a normal house. On the outside, wooden gates and stone walls surround the land that a passer-by won't have a clear view of the traditional-styled manor. Past these stone walls and the wooden gate and inside the Namikazes' "fortress", one will be greeted by a spacious kanshou-style garden and three structures with identical architectural style: the tea house, the storage building, and the main house. The stone steps in the gravel lead to the main house, and from there one must cross the small pond full of koi fishes by stepping another set of stone steps to reach the ceremonial tea house.

But, since Sasuke is nothing like a common person, he isn't much surprised by this. Influential people were already used to seeing these types of dwellings, anyway. But he does appreciate the grandeur of the scenery, for he's a bona fide traditionalist when it comes to locations.

"This kanshou-style garden compliments the Edo period architectural style of your home," he admired.

Naruto, carrying the box from the council room, looked back and directed a small smile to the raven, beckoned him to follow him towards the main house, "Yeah. The Namikaze clan already started to exist during the Edo period, so the architecture during that time became endearing to them. They have associated the history of our clan to that, thus the houses owned by the Namikazes have the same architectural style as this."

"They have grown accustomed to the Edo period, I reckon..."

"So were the Uzumaki clan," Naruto noted, then went silent for a while. Sasuke couldn't blame the blonde for that. He's just recalled his abandoned mother.

Once they've reached the entrance, Naruto put down the box that he was carrying, then indicated the shoe rack to the wall on the right side, while he removed his shoes and taking out a pair of slippers from the said rack. Sasuke complied, taking off his own shoes and grabbed his pair. Naruto was already walking in the hallway, shouting, "I'll just bring these boxes to the room, feel free to stay in the living room. It's on the left side."

"Yeah," Sasuke replied, then stepped inside. The interior of the house is much more modern compared to the exterior, but resembled more of the typical style of Japanese households. It was a two-storey house with cement walls and wood flooring, not like the expected tatami floors and fusuma. The pale teen reached the living room, which is more or less western-influenced, but still got a Japanese feel to it. The cream leather sofa set was the centrepiece of the room, facing the plasma television at the other side of the wall. On the right side was a grand piano facing the opened window, there's a shelf of books in the left corner of the room, and on the drawer desk situated against the left wall, were various picture frames that hold stationary memories of the occupant of the house. Sasuke approached the said desk, examining the photographs. It was noticeable that they don't include a picture of Naruto's biological family, although there is one sole picture of a four-year-old Naruto being cradled by his father, Minato, displayed amongst the pictures of the blonde teen's current guardians.

"I see that you have imposed yourself in taking a look at the photos," Naruto spoke, appearing at the doorway with a tea tray. Sasuke returned the picture frame that he was holding back to its proper place.

"Hn, I see that you don't include your family picture in your displays," the raven remarked

The cerulean-eyed blonde shrugged, setting down the tray and taking a seat at the couch, "as much as I and my aunt and uncle wanted to, the head of the Namikaze clan doesn't like seeing my mother's face, even in a picture." He poured tea to the shallow ceramic tea cups.

"...that was harsh."

"Yeah, I know. Can't do a thing about it, though," Naruto replied, then handed the filled cup to Sasuke, who took a sip from it.

"This tea...is it Sencha?"

Naruto nodded, drinking from his cup as well, "I've been meaning to serve you Gyokuro, but it seems that we were already out of stock. That's from Tsuen, though." Sasuke nodded in comprehension, but, after a while, he noted that there was some kind of taste that wasn't supposed to be there, although it's pleasant. But the taste is familiar that Sasuke was slightly worried about it.

Naruto glanced at the wall clock, which says it's already 6:15 pm. "It's that time already? I need to prepare dinner...don't worry, I won't make ramen," he said, as the raven was about to tell him his preference for food. The blonde walked out of the living room afterwards.

Sasuke leaned back on the couch, still thinking of the familiar taste mixed with the green tea, but decided to push it to the back of his mind.

At that exact moment, Tsunade was having a nice conversation with Uchiha Mikoto while sipping tea outside the Uchiha manor.

* * *

"This Earl Grey tea is good," commented Tsunade to Mikoto, while they're enjoying their tea at the vast rose garden in the Uchiha residence.

"Of course, I have it ordered at Harold's in London. They do sell the best quality Earl Grey tea. I'm glad you like it," replied Mikoto, and took a sip from her tea cup as well. "How's Naruto-kun doing, by the way?"

The blonde chairman rested her cup in the table, speaking. "He's still as lively as always, he does remind me of Kushina." At this, Mikoto laughed.

"That's good to hear. I was worried about that boy when I heard that sad news twelve years ago."

"Aah. That kid was really strong willed. Even when his father died, he did not isolate himself and mope about it like a child. And to think that he was just five years old during that time..." Tsunade took a draught from the cup.

"There's also the incident of him being accepted to the Namikaze clan in exchange of severing ties with his mother. He had grown maturely for his age," Fugaku interrupted, approaching them and settled himself on a seat beside his wife. "That's rare, seeing you drink tea instead of sake."

Tsunade chuckled, "that Naruto pushed me to it. He made me drink green tea mixed with koshu until I got used to the taste of different tea varieties."

"Aged sake? Haha, he's really good in tea making if he had you converted," said Fugaku. "He must have inherited that from Minato, he always performed those tea ceremonies."

"I remember that. He was always serving us tea at their tea ceremony room. How nostalgic," Mikoto recalled.

"Yeah, he used to do that with Kushina...I wonder how she's doing," Fugaku mused to his wife.

"I am thinking about that, too. Don't you have any news regarding her whereabouts, Tsunade-sensei?"

"I have long since left my teaching career. I'm now some lowly chairman of some school, so there's no need to call me with that honorific, Mikoto."

"But you were still our Science instructor, even if just for a while, Tsunade-sensei. It's our way of respect to the one who have imparted her knowledge in us in those three years that we have become your students."

"...thank you," was what Tsundade able to say.

"You are always welcome, Tsunade-sensei," the Uchiha couple gave her their warmest smiles that Tsunade can't help but smile back.

"...well...going back to Kushina, I've been contacting with her lately. She seems to be fine, although it was evident that she misses her son's presence so much," Tsunade told the couple. Both Mikoto and Fugaku were saddened by this.

"I feel sorry for her. If only I could do something about it. I was her best friend and yet I..." her voice faltered. Fugaku held her hand to calm her.

"It was not your fault, dear. We cannot do anything about it. It was the Namikaze clan who have to solve that matter by themselves. Although I am very much tempted to tell them that they were wrong with their decision..."

"Fugaku's right. Even if we could do something about it, I don't think Kushina would want to trouble you," Tsunade added.

"I know...but I still feel bad about it. We could have taken care of Naruto for her, instead."

"It was Kushina's wish to have Naruto be a part of the Namikazes, even if it means she have to leave her son forever. She doesn't want Naruto to be scorned along with her."

"Yeah..." they have become silent. Wind blew gently on the rose garden, making the bloody red flowers sway along. They were enchanted to the dance of the roses for awhile before Fugaku dispelled the trance they were in.

"By the way, Tsunade-sensei, does Naruto serve his tea concoction to anyone? That one mixed with aged sake?"

"...I did send a bottle of koshu to their house earlier, since he liked serving it."

The couple glanced at each other and back at Tsunade, worry etched on their faces.

"...we might have a little problem there, if he tried to serve Sasuke something like that," Mikoto said, while Fugaku nodded.

"And why is that?" asked the confused Tsunade.

"Well, Itachi told us one time that there are dire effects when Sasuke takes in even a small amount of alcohol in his system. We haven't seen it, actually, but Itachi said he tends to have..._urge_s," Fugaku answered.

"What 'urges'?"

The couple's look was deadpanning serious, as they both stated:

"Sexual urges."

* * *

Naruto had just finished sautéing cabbages for the side dish when his phone vibrated gently in his pocket. Curious and a bit surprised about who was calling him this late, he retrieved the phone from his pouch and looked at the caller id, which read 'tsunade-baachan'. He flipped up his phone immediately.

"Hello, baa-chan?"

"Hey, brat. Did you receive already the package I sent to your home?" came the distorted voice of Tsunade from the other line.

"The kushu? Yeah...thanks, anyway. It's quite hard to get these, you know..."

"Aah..." said the chairman distractedly, "Listen, did you serve some of that green tea mix of yours to Sasuke?"

Naruto was taken aback by the question. _What the hell does it matter if I serve some to the teme?_ He questioned mentally. _And why was the old hag worried?_

"Yes," he replied.

"Did Sasuke already drink it?"

"Of course. Why the hell are you asking, anyway?" the blonde inquired, as the one on the other line let out a frustrated groan. Tsunade didn't answer immediately.

"Hey, baa-chan!"

"Yeah, yeah...Listen, brat. You need to keep your distance from Sasuke at all cost, without him noticing, of course. It might agitate him further if you're too obvious."

"Wait, why do I need to keep away from him? And why would he agitate? What the freaking hell don't I know?"

"Idiot, Sasuke has a very low tolerance in alcohol. He tends to be sexually frustrated when drunk, or so I've been told."

Naruto let out a derisive laugh.

"That was some joke you have, baa-chan," He sniggered. When Tsunade didn't laugh along with him, he stopped altogether.

"You're serious, aren't you?"

"No, I'm not. Idiot," the chairman sarcastically replied. And, exactly at that moment, Naruto felt an ominous and feral presence, and he felt shivers running down his spine as he sensed obsidian orbs scrutinizing every inch of his back suggestively.

"Who are you talking to, dobe?" Sasuke's husky voice resounded in his ear a million times over. And, try as he might, he can't keep his hormones from getting too excited and his blood from rushing down south even if he wanted to.

"Hey, brat, was that Sasuke? Hey! Will you _please_ answer, goddamnit—"

Naruto hung up.

The raven silently and steadily approached the blonde, wrapping his arms around the poor boy's slim waist and resting his chin on the tan shoulders. He gently removed the phone from Naruto's clutches and scanned the call log.

"Tsunade-san, huh? Did she want something?" Sasuke asked, his breath tickling Naruto's exposed skin. The blonde's breath hitched in response to the strangely pleasant stimulus.

"...No. She just asked how we're doing," he lied. He felt the pale teen's smirk against his skin, for his lips was already attached to his nape.

"Hn. Such a slave driver she was. I think we could go over it by tomorrow," tongue ran over the sensitive earlobe, and Naruto felt himself melting in the taller male's arms. He can't hold out his moans any longer.

"Aah, S'ke..."

"Hn. Dobe," was the culprit's only reply, as he left the phone abandoned and dragged the already stimulated and yielding blonde out of the kitchen.

* * *

**A/N:** What happened about condensing chapters as much as possible? *sigh*.

In case you're interested, people, kushu is the term for aged sake. Special sake is being aged in barrels till it turns yellowish in color. The taste is somewhat honeyed, but it was pretty strong when it comes to alcoholic content. And, it is not, I repeat, _not_ advisable to mix sake with any variety of tea, even if the story told otherwise. Otherwise you'll end up in coma or died altogether due to synergistic effect of mixing alcohol with other psychoactive drugs. yeah. just some useless, random stuff before i officially end the chapter.

If you have comments or suggestions, you can write it in a review or pm me. ^_^. jya!


	5. 4: Crossing the Line

**A/N:** And so, I was delayed in posting the next chapter again. Hontou ni sumimasen, minna! _*bows head furiously*_. I really am ashamed of myself for not posting for 7 months. But, to make up for not posting this chapter earlier, I'm posting two other oneshots (FT and DN fandom), and in the process of making a SasuNaru PWP as well (because it would be a waste if I didn't put my ideas into writing, otherwise it would just fly off the window. So, I'm really, really sorry, and I hope you would like this chapter as well as you liked the previous ones. And, thanks a lot to those who were still sticking around with this story. I really appreciate it, guys.

**Disclaimer:** "I'm actually Kishimoto Masashi, and I own Naruto, but because WSJ won't want a BL-themed manga, I have no choice but to make fanfics out of it"....do you really believe it would work if I said that? I think not.

**Warnings:** SasuNaru yaoi lemonade (finally!), and ItaSasu, ItaNaru, OroSasu in later chapters. And, did I already mention it containing lemony stuff? Yes? Then that's settled. So, as much as I'd love fire burnin' on the dance floor, I don't need flames and trolls here, please. Critics are welcome, as long as you know how to construct your criticisms properly.

And, as always, reviews are very much appreciated. Enjoy reading! ^_^

* * *

**An Eccentric Student Council**

**

* * *

**

**4: Crossing the Line  
**

"Cheers!" Tsunade closed in as she raised her champagne flute and was mimicked by the rest. Naruto grudgingly did the same, although he made sure not to be noticed by his principal and, at the same time, his aunt. Tsunade is a second-degree cousin of his father, and quite a lot older than she looks. She could even pass as his young grandmother, age wise. That makes Naruto call her baa-chan. He sighed, left the rather out-of-place marquee, and went towards the Namikaze main house's Japanese garden.

As he leaned on the bridge that faces the small river flowing endlessly onto the small koi pond, he sipped from his glass and let out another sigh. It was actually the annual reunion of the Namikaze clan, and, although he was the legitimate son of the former leader of the clan, it's still makes him unnerved that he's surrounded by many of his relatives from his father's side that still think of him as the imperfection of the clan that needs to be erased. Heck, he finds it even easier to deal with the bastard than to socialize with people who doesn't accept him as he is. But, at the mere thought of the ice princess of AC he coughed and blushed tremendously for a certain memory that surfaced. Clutching his side of his head with one hand, he unconsciously relieved what transpired between the two of them last night.

* * *

"S-Sasuke...aah!"

Uzumaki Naruto was in a pinch.

A big pinch.

Here he was, being pinned against the wall in his own room, in his house, and being raped...by his rival, Uchiha Sasuke.

And he was very, _very_ near to giving in.

How did they get to this point in the first place?

It was because of his green tea and sake mix that he let Sasuke drink earlier, not knowing that the latter has a very low alcohol tolerance. Now, reaping what he sowed, the blonde became the drunken raven's sexual frustration outlet.

...as if the blonde would allow that.

He struggled under Sasuke, desperately wanting to escape from his predicament. Unfortunately for him, Sasuke's grip on his wrists above his head was so tight he could no longer feel blood rushing into it, let alone breaking free from his grasp. He settled with sending a glare towards the pale teen.

"Let go, you bastard!"

Sasuke leaned in, attaching his lips to the junction of the blonde teen's neck and shoulders, tasting his tan skin, "Why denying yourself what you want, Naruto?" He then cupped the squirming boy's growing arousal from his school trousers, eliciting a small groan from him. Naruto could practically feel the older teen's smirk against his skin.

"F-fuck you, asshole..."

"Hn. Sorry to disappoint, but it's _your_ asshole that _I'll_ be fucking."

"Teme!" Naruto thrashed, more violently this time, but all efforts were in vain, for Sasuke proved to be much stronger than him. He earned some harsher shoving by the dark-haired male, grinding their erections together. Naruto, his senses already been overloaded by pleasure, finally succumbed to Sasuke and allowed himself be dragged along the room and towards his bed, while being kissed all too fervently and responding to the delving tongue and allowing it entrance to his mouth.

"Hn. Dobe," was all the raven said, as he pushed the yielding blonde onto the bed, straddling him, arms trapped on each side of his head. He lowered his head towards Naruto, lips locking into the other in a heated kiss. Tongue delved inside the sun god's cavern, relishing in the taste distinctively Naruto's. An ivory hand roamed around Naruto's chest, still clad with the school uniform. He deftly unbuttoned it, painstakingly slow for the tanned teen to bear. He bucked, begging for more contact with the pale teen's cold hands, which the latter did not grant easily. He ghosted his hands over the younger male's trousers, playing around with its zipper, yet to open, much to Naruto's impatience. He seemed to have forgotten that he was being done, against his will. The notion of 'rape' was already blown away from Naruto's mind, and all he could think about was how _slow_ Sasuke is moving, and not doing what they _both_ wanted already.

"For fuck's sake, Sasuke, do it already!"

Sasuke gave a low chuckle, "says the one who doesn't want to do it earlier."

"It's your fault I'm in this state in the first place, bastard."

"Yeah, yeah," replied the elder teen, quickly zipping down his pants and slid his hands under, touching Naruto within the confines of his boxers, which surprised the blonde, moaning and arching up against the hand to feel more of his hold to his crotch.

"N-nah...s'uke..."

Lips trailed down to his neck, hands crawled up to the hem of Naruto's shirt, raising the shirt and removing it from the blonde. His fingers ghosted over his nipples, tweaking it gently. His mouth latched itself onto Naruto's pulse located at the junction of his neck, and bit it harshly, swiping his tongue repeatedly at the mark created. The blonde mewled, pressing himself against those lips, his hips rising and grinding against Sasuke's palm. The latter swiftly pulled out his hands, and for a split second Naruto was pissed at Sasuke for not granting him his release, but it was replaced with shock, then anticipation as the raven pulled down the blonde's trousers and boxers completely, and settled down between tan thighs.

The pale teen gave an experimental lick to the tip of Naruto's cock, having his first taste of the smaller man's dick before enveloping it completely with his mouth. Naruto gave a strangled moan at Sasuke's actions, fisting his hands on the silk sheets as Sasuke did his thing. Sasuke lapped all of Naruto's leaking precum and proceeded in deep-throating the blonde, which made the latter hold Sasuke's head in an attempt to fuck his mouth. The raven did not allow it, though, as he settled his hands on either side of the blonde's hips and stopped him from further thrusting his erection or otherwise getting gagged from the foreign appendage in his mouth. He sucked the tanned teen's arousal for all it was worth, not giving Naruto a chance to recover from the multitude of pleasure washing over him. But, as Naruto was about to give out and release his seeds down to the ice princess' throat, Sasuke pulled out with an audible 'pop'.

"Now is not the time for that, Naruto. I think we have more pressing matters at hand," Sasuke explained needlessly, as he rose and straddled Naruto's hips, extended his arms and ghosted his finger over the prince's now plump lips. He murmured 'suck' against the younger teen's ears as he pressed his three pale digits against the blonde's parting lips, and the latter sucked all too fervently, sending shivers down the raven's spine and making him moan in pure bliss. Reluctantly, he withdrew his finger from Naruto's lips, only to be replaced by his own lips and tongue re-exploring every inch of the blonde's orifice. His slick wet appendages now roamed under and separated the straddled male's nether cheeks, stimulating the rosy and undefiled perineum before slightly sullying it with his pointer as it slid inside Naruto with difficulty. All the blonde's whimpers were drowned under Sasuke's kiss, but his eyes showed his discomfort from the intrusion of the foreign object down his ass. The raven let go of the blonde's lips before attaching it against the blonde's pulse point and bit tenderly as another finger accompanied the first one inside Naruto's ass. They scissored their way further down, searching for that damn spot that will make Naruto scream his lungs out in pure, unadulterated euphoria. Which is exactly what happened as the tip of his finger grazed over the blonde's prostrate, making him arch in impossible proportions and scream Sasuke's name in lust. Noting this, Sasuke hit the spot over and over as he inserted a third finger and Naruto rode them as he released white ribbons of cum from his cock. Afterward, the tanned male fell down in wanton abandonment and the pale teen pulled out his fingers.

"That's so unlike you. Cumming just from being prepped..." Sasuke chuckled, proceeding to scrape off some of the blonde's semen from his stomach with those fingers that were previously inside Naruto's ass and licked them lewdly in front of the blonde. Naruto groaned at the sight, his dick now back in action. Damn sex incarnate.

Said sex incarnate put off a strip show in front of the blonde, dumping all of his articles of clothing on the floor. He positioned himself in between the modern-day Apollo' legs, "you know this might hurt a bit more than earlier." Sasuke pushed the head of his member against Naruto, his own precum being smeared on his tip as well on the latter's ass. Naruto glared daggers at him for being too slow, and opened his mouth in protest.

"I don't freaking care, just do it – _ahh!_" Well, Sasuke understood his stares too well that he just _had to_ cut him off and thrust his dick in swiftly. Naruto, not for the first time, felt cursing himself for speaking and rushing things without thinking because of the pain that raked his insides at the penetration of Sasuke's dick. Tears pooled at his azure eyes as Sasuke tried to ease his pain with a deep kiss. Dark pools stared into sapphire orbs as he convey an unspoken apology and a promise of unimaginable bliss after all the agony is over, coaxing the blonde to breath evenly and relax. The raven did not dare to move, even if the painfully sweet hold on his cock by Naruto's inner walls were too unbearable. Instead, he waited for Naruto's signal to move, which the blond gave in a throaty whisper.

".._Move_..."

Having been granted his wish, Sasuke wasted no time in pulling out almost completely from Naruto, then sliding back in. Another moan was coaxed from the shorter male's throat. It sent a delicious wave of pleasure down the taller teen's arousal. He moved, again, thrusting slowly in Naruto, grinding his aching cock in the blonde's insides. Naruto practically _purred_ from the delectable friction he's experiencing from having the sexy of a bastard do him. Not long after, his hoarse lips were pleading to the one on top of him. "M-more, S'uke..."

"Pleasure's mine, my dobe..." Sasuke breathed, making his thrust harder and faster till he once again hit the blonde's spot and angled his thrusts to hit it more. Naruto screamed Sasuke's name in untamed lust, and moved his hips to meet the pale teen's thrusts. A few moments of these and both were at the edge, their thrusts becoming more hasty and needy. Naruto's arms were coiled around Sasuke's neck, his hands fisted under black strands as he crushed the raven's lips against his in a lustful kiss, and his legs clamped around ivory hips. Sasuke's hands were the same, grasping golden locks as he pressed further inside Naruto, his tongue deep down the tanned male's throat. Grinding in faster and faster, and losing the rhythm, Sasuke impaled himself deep inside Naruto as the latter came between their stomachs, his inner walls clamping around the raven's member. Soon after the blonde's orgasm was his own, and he collapsed on top of the younger teen, his pale chest heaving against sun kissed ones.

A few moments after they have basked in the afterglow of sex, Sasuke pulled out his now flaccid member from Naruto, and lied tiredly beside the equally tired teen. Panting slightly, he managed to face the blonde and pecked his lips against his. A small smile curled at the younger male's lips as he responded into the kiss, chastely. Contentment washed over both of them as their arms wrapped one another, expressions of relief and ease on their faces.

Especially in the raven's case, since he now got what he wanted right beside him. Or so he hoped.

As Naruto's breathing became even, Sasuke closed his eyes, whispering those three magic words (that every girl in Konoha University would kill for) plus a certain male's name, and fell into a slumber too deep that he wouldn't notice Naruto leaving him behind for his appointment the next day. And Naruto would later thank that deep slumber of his that he would escape the paled teen's embrace and leave the house without disturbing his sleep.

* * *

It was hard enough to make a plausible excuse for his condition, and ten times as hard to repeat it all over again every time someone would ask. As it is, Tsunade just narrowed her eyes when he told her he just slipped at the bath earlier to receive such predicament. Well, it was her fault for not warning him earlier about the bastard princess' alcohol tolerance (or lack thereof). And, speaking of the bastard, he wasn't even able to bid goodbye properly as he was really sleeping deeply and Naruto wouldn't want to disturb his sleep (he knew for a fact that his blood type is AB, and that alone, even without adding the other characteristics Sasuke had, scared him to wake him up). He could only make up to him by cooking breakfast for him. And, he reckoned, he could do well on his own. He would as well be asking their family driver to pick him up and drove him home.

Sipping from his glass again, he mused about the whole ordeal. He really wondered if he would stomach it being just a one-night stand sort of thing, but it wouldn't be safe for either of their sanities to continue this game. Not when Naruto's already in love with him way before this thing between them started. He wasn't even sure that what he heard last night as the raven fell asleep was the real deal, or just one of the spurts of his intoxication. But he couldn't deny himself that Sasuke still said those words: _I love you, Naruto._ Thinking that alone made him go beet red in the face.

His musings were disturbed, however, when the big-busted principal approached him, holding a wine glass in her hand.

"Danzo's looking for you earlier. He seemed keen to introduce you to the new guy," Tsunade said to Naruto, as she rested her hands on the wooden rail. Naruto only shrugged and drank some of the champagne again. Oh, yeah. The new guy. Danzo's, one of the clan's elders, adopted son. The highlight of the event he was currently attending. Naruto found himself not caring.

"Not interested. Besides, he knows I'm not feeling too well to socialize. Anytime soon and I'll take the route home."

Tsunade merely looked at him, like her approaching the blonde male got nothing to do with Danzo looking for him, and everything to do with the raven-haired genius. He groaned inwardly. He was dying to avoid that subject since earlier. Tsunade wasn't one to be stopped, though.

"About that...I'm very sure you know that you can't lie to _me_. I was a former biology instructor _and_ a doctor. I don't think _you_ can fool _me_ into thinking that you got your sore ass from slipping at the bath, brat," she told the student president. Naruto sighed for the umpteenth time.

"Well, I didn't expect you to. But, do you honestly think that I would just say what happened that bluntly? I still do have my pride. " _Even thinking about it is embarrassing enough, _he thought_. _His aunt scoffed at his answer.

"I don't. But lying is no option, either."

And she was actually right. What good would it do to lie to her, anyway? He can just say it in a manner that's not too blunt and embarrassing if he tried.

"Fine, you win, hag..." Naruto raised his hands in defeat. "You're aware about it, anyway. Why bother to tell you?"

Tsunade gulped down her wine, muttering an inaudible 'aah' as the liquid rush down to her throat, and glared at Naruto. "So he did, huh? I thought I told you to keep your distance from him?" Naruto blushed. He did hang up on Tsunade yesterday while she warned him about the bastard.

"W-well...It wasn't like I didn't try. I just...got sort of lost myself," Naruto admitted.

"Not like I care about your affairs, anyway, but...it's Uchiha Sasuke we're talking about. Your rival in _everything_ you'd care to name. Will you be okay with it? Though I know he's a good guy and all..." Tsunade asked, concern clearly shown on her face.

Naruto just shrugged. "My sentiments, exactly...But I'm not gonna think about it right now. Not when I still can't think clearly."

"And when would your mind start thinking clearly? When that brat's gone already and you're all alone?"

Naruto stared at the principal, "Funny that I think you're rooting for him. I'm feeling that you know something I don't."

"Whether I know anything or not is none of your business. Anyway, you should get some rest. You still got a lot to do tomorrow." Tsunade took her leave, but not before Naruto said, "I'm intending to." She waved her hand in farewell.

* * *

Naruto wasn't expecting that bastard would still be at his home until this late.

It was 7:45 PM.

"And why, pray tell, are you still _here_?" Naruto asked exasperatedly when he found Sasuke sitting oh so comfortably on _his_ couch, watching TV.

Sasuke did not bother looking at the blonde, who's standing still at the door, and replied, "I was waiting for you before I go home, idiot. And, since it's too late to go home already, I've called our family butler to inform my parents that I would come home tomorrow. And..." he glanced as Naruto looked at him incredulously, "don't worry about the clothes and my things, my assistant has brought them here just a while ago."

Naruto cursed silently as Sasuke countered all of his excuses to not let him sleep for another night. "You seem to be prepared already, what more could I do about it? Such a bastard..." the last few words were said under his breath, but cannot escape the raven's sharp ears.

"Say what you want, dobe. Not like it would faze me in the least, anyway."

"Fucking right, teme," Naruto went to the kitchen to prepare food for his unwanted guest, but noticed that he doesn't need to, seeing as there's food already at the top of the table. The breakfast that he has prepared for the bastard was gone, too.

"You cooked?" he asked, loud enough for Sasuke to hear in the other room.

"Yeah, I was hungry. I figured out that you might have not eaten dinner yet, seeing as you came from a fancy party, so I cooked your share."

"It's not a fancy party, it's a formal gathering," Naruto defended, "but, you're right. I'm starving." He brought his plate of food to the living room, sitting on the couch beside Sasuke, but not too close. They stay like that for minutes, with Sasuke just staring blankly on the screen and Naruto absentmindedly eating his food. The raven, his patience stretched out already just by waiting for the blonde, took the unappreciated silence between the two of them as annoying, and broke it for the sake of his sanity.

"Pretending that didn't happen, huh?" Sasuke leaned back on the couch's backrest and sighed, whilst glancing at Naruto, who settled his chopsticks on the plate and set in on the table, and didn't seem to notice the raven talking, or pretending to.

To be honest, Naruto wasn't expecting him to open the subject, or even remembering that night. Hell, he expected that Sasuke would just wake up and just be confused about his nakedness, and he could explain that the summer heat was at fault for that. Weren't people supposed to have poor memory when drunk? And now…is he expecting him to just blurt out that he acknowledged what happened just like that?

"I don't know what you're talking about…" Naruto answered, his voice slightly cracking.

Sasuke turned off the TV, then turned towards the blonde. "You know damn well what I'm talking about," he hissed, his murderous eyes directed to the tanned teen's blue ones. Naruto, for the first time, saw deep emotions in the pale teen's dark orbs. Something about murder and hate…and hurt, like he was being betrayed. Which was what Naruto did. He know damn well that, by denying what transpired between them last night, he had betrayed Sasuke's feelings unintentionally. And then he realized the graveness of his actions, the denial of the truth of those words he wanted to hear from him.

The rejection of the feelings of the one he loves.

"I…" Naruto croaked. He doesn't have an idea what to do about his current situation. He knows anything that he says might bring out the worst of the raven teen. And so he said the most stupid thing to tell the emotionally unstable raven. "I'm sorry…"

"Sorry…you're _sorry_?" Sasuke laughed humorlessly, which creeped Naruto out. "_You're_ sorry that _I forced myself in you_?! That _I_ did all those…things to you?! That _I_ practically _raped you_?!" He roared, tears already welling on his eyes. "I'm the one who's fucking guilty, damn it! I'm the one at fault here, and you're being damn _nice_ to me! I've been waiting for you to come back so that I can say sorry to you properly, and you would just go apologize that it was your fault for pretending that it happened? Don't fucking screw with me! I was the one who made you decide to pretend! I…scared the hell out of you…"

Naruto has never seen Sasuke this worked up before. The raven teen became vulnerable in front of him. Sasuke was already crying, crying in front of him. All because he blamed himself for all that's happened. Goddamn Sasuke and his guilt trip making him feel guilty, too, for not comforting him.

He reached out and cradled Sasuke in his arms.

Sasuke felt the warm chest and arms embraced around him, and smelt the scent distinctively Naruto's. His sobs were muffled by Naruto's chest, while his hair is caressed by his lips.

Naruto was hugging him. And Sasuke's hugging him back.

No words were exchanged between them. Because no words could ever describe what they what to say to each other. And there's no need for them to, for they understand each other even without words.

Just one kiss says it all.

And, just like that, they stayed in each other's arms until they fell asleep on the couch.

* * *

**A/N:** Fluffy? Smutty? Dramatic? Let me hear your opinions, everyone, by clicking at the button on the bottom center of this page. XD


	6. 5: It's Time for the Seeds to Grow Roots

A/N: Yup. I actually finished this in a week because (1) there's no lemon. It's so much harder to edit a fic with those smexyness because, well, I can't quite achieve what I found and like with other fanfics...it wasn't romantic enough. Haha. And (2) because there's already this idea running in my mind constantly about Kyuubi's appearance, and so I'm testing out the waters to make sure it's alright. I also debated with myself if this chapter's story is too early to come out, but I've already made five chapters (including the prologue) and i don't think I can prolong the story more. I was also surprised that I've made it in a short span of time, so I don't know if it's good enough to pass. But, oh well. Hell be damned. Haha.

Disclaimer: Just sell the Naruto merchandise out to me already, Kishimoto-sensei! *door slams in front of my face* Stingy! Oh, well. I guess they're still owned by Kishimoto-sensei.

Warning/s: SasuNaru. ItaSasu, ItaNaru, ItaKyuu, and OroSasu, as well as smuts of sorts in later chapters. Minor pairings will be included, too.

Reviews will be very much appreciated as always. XD.

* * *

**An Eccentric Student Council**

* * *

**4: Time for the Seeds to Grow Roots**

Uzumaki Naruto was rarely caught smiling to himself. He might be seen grinning like an idiot and laughing his ass off, but that's because something amusing is happening in front of him that everyone can relate to when he smiles. This is one of the few times, however, that one can see his genuine smile out of pure luck while his thoughts were wondering in the vast terrains of his mind. And the two bestfriends, RCSC's secretary Haruno Sakura and Public Affairs liaison Yamanaka Ino, were aware of that fact, thus both of them watched in awe at their prince's pensive expression during lunch at the cafeteria.

The blond student president was lost in his thoughts since the incident happened, and it was already three days after that. He can't help but remember the slightest hint of a smile in the raven bastard's face, the faint smell distinctively Sasuke's, those pale and lean arms around him, those sumptuous lips he can't get enough of, his smooth, pale skin glowing when the barest sliver of moonlight casted on him – and he have to shake his head furiously to get rid of his new-found obsession. If he hadn't known better, he'd say it was all part of a black propaganda to make him lose face by losing his concentration in academics and flunking his grades. But he had known better. He even thought he had bitten more than he could chew, or that it was all too good to be true. No one would accept easily that Uchiha Sasuke's a homo, or that he only responds to Naruto, who happened to be a guy and not a girl. Besides, those black orbs showed it all. He smiled in spite of himself.

Sasuke's in love.

Sasuke's in love with him.

Sasuke's in love with him, who's a guy and does not have any features that resembled something of a girl's.

The thought of him being chosen over countless of long-haired, big-busted, cake-faced girls made him feel so much elated.

He smiled yet again.

"Geez, president, stop that. You're creeping me out," whined Kiba, who has long since settled beside him, and throwing disgusted looks at the two members of the RCSC. The two glared pointedly at him.

"It's none of your business!" Sakura yelled, "you just don't know how this rare sight is treated as a golden by the fanclub."

"Yeah, yeah. And we, the founders of Prince Naruto Fanclub, shall make that moment last a lifetime and share it to the rest of us who look up to him in all his glory," Ino added, waving off her digital camera in front of the dog-lover. Kiba just brushed it off aside, and he and his pet Akamaru rivalled the two girl's death glares. Naruto, who had been disturbed by their squabble, sighed, and turned towards the ones who need his attention.

"Inuzuka, I told you not to bring your dog in the school, didn't I? And, Ino, digital cameras are forbidden in the school grounds unless issued with permission." Kiba mumbled similar to 'stingy' under his breath, and Ino waved off the blonde male's lecture.

"I'm the editor-in-chief of our school paper, ain't I? Of course, I have special permission. I'm making a documentary about the upcoming bi-annual five-school competition as well as the cultural festival...which reminds me, you and Sasuke-kun has yet to decide again your other companion for the team challenge. Have you perhaps already chosen?" Ino swiftly pulled out her handy note and pen recorder, pressing the record switch.

Naruto replied, "I was thinking of including Ayasaki Kana in the team since last year, but she's been out since the third week of classes, and so we have no choice but to hold a mini contest to determine who we could recruit...besides, I heard the committee will increase the number of groups that can join from 5 to 10. That means there would be 2 entries for each school, and that makes 6 students each. So, instead of just one, we have to find four..."

Ino furiously wrote in her note, her handwriting only understandable by herself, "Is that true? Then a good advertisement is all you need. This would be a good clash between both AC and RC students, don't you think? And about Ayasaki-san, I heard she would be coming back next week. I asked her parents last week. After all, she and you were RC's _item_. Of course, the students would be interested in her return and in what would happen between the two of you afterwards. The greatest romance ever!"

"Ah..." Naruto mumbled absent-mindedly. In reality, he didn't care if she and he were an item. Whoever made that stupid rumour really wasn't reading the situation properly; he's just assisting Ayasaki-san because of her illness, and because the Namikaze clan asked him to, because Kana-san's the only remaining member of the Ayasaki Clan alive, and Lord Koharu sheltered her because of her family's relations with the Namikazes. Oh, well. It's not like the rumour does some damage to him.

What he was worried about was the time that she will return to the school. He wondered briefly about Sasuke's reaction once the rumours start rising again. He imagined what Sasuke would do once it happens.

He feared for the girl's safety. After all, he's kind of responsible for her while she's at school, ain't he?

"...Naruto...Hey, Naruto!" the pink-haired Sakura called his attention. "You're spacing out again, it's time for the next period..." She was cut off by the AC princess' arrival.

Sasuke just looked at the other occupants of the table indifferently, and glanced at the blue-eyed teen, speaking, "Tsunade wants us in the office. Tell them to mention this to your next instructor."

"Yeah, yeah. They know already," Naruto stood, leaving the three council members behind to follow the raven's already retreating back.

* * *

"Pleased to meet you. I'm Shimura Sai, and I'm transferring in this school. Please take care of me from now on."

The girls of RC class 3-A were gawking at the obviously Sasuke copy in front of them: Shimura Sai. His silky straight and short jet black hair rivalled the raven locks of the AC's princess that defied gravity, his skin paper white and paler than the Uchiha's, and his smile warmer than the other student president's cold smirks of indifference. Though he resembles a lot like Sasuke, he's definitely more likable than the cocky bastard, no doubt.

But something in his smile was eerie, Naruto noticed. It's as if they're fake, and his eyes were keen and calculating. Despite his warm aura, Naruto felt shivers, warning him to keep his distance from the man in front of him.

Like he was up to no good.

Earlier, he and Sasuke met up with him at the office of the principal to orient the newcomer with the rules and regulations of the campus, and to introduce him to the school's eccentric system.

At the first sight of him, he knew he'd seen him somewhere, but only figured it out after hearing Sai's full name.

Shimura Sai, the newly adopted son of Lord Danzo.

Tsunade glanced at him warily, both of them thinking the same thing: Danzo's planning something.

Sasuke held a hostile stance against the paler teen after boldly taunting the blonde and calling him dickless. If the blue-eyed male hadn't tackled the raven in time, things would surely by a lot messier. He himself was barely able to hold himself back and beat the crap out of the transferee for calling him with such a vulgar description. And, because Sasuke has infinitely lesser patience than his, Naruto volunteered to take him and meet his new classmates. He thought that he wouldn't see him much anymore after he accompanied him to his new class.

Oh, how wrong he was.

Worst of all, the only vacant seat in their room is the one beside him. And, for the rest of the school year, he would have to put up with the new student's antics.

Sai settled on his chair, smiling at the tanned teen, "Please take care of me for the rest of the year, dickless."

Naruto was almost at the point of snapping, but, with his last ounce of his will, was able to hold back. He dreadfully thought of what would happen to his last year at Konoha Gakuen.

"Anyway, since the cultural festival is just around the corner, as well as the biannual five-school competition, which will be held at our school, let's hear from our class representative and our student president. Please take the floor, Uzumaki-kun," Iruka-sensei, their home instructor, spoke and excused himself from the teacher's desk

"Yes, Iruka-sensei,:" Naruto stood up and took his place in the front of the class. "As you well know already, with the biannual five-school competition being held a month from now, and the cultural festival in four week's time, the Student Council were pretty much busy, and I reckon it's time for us to discuss our plans for the festival this early so that we won't be encountering problems later. But first, about the team challenge of the five-school competition, some adjustments by the committee were made, and instead of just one 3-person group per school, they're allowing up to two teams to compete this time. Of course, it's decided that yours truly and Uchiha Sasuke of the Advanced Curriculum were included in the line-up, but we're short of 4 people to complete the two teams. And so, next week we're intending to hold a campus-wide competition to determine the other four who would join us." His last statement caused uproar in the class, pseudo-bloodlust present in each of the students of 3-A (except Sai) that practically screams revenge against AC.

"Settle down already!" the brunette instructor tried to pacify his class, but only Naruto was able to calm his classmates, for a short while.

"Yes, that's how it is. That's why this is not the time for us RC students to slack off; we have to exact revenge to the blasted AC bastards!"

It's quite a sight for RC class 3-A to be this unified, with Naruto leading them to the intellectual battlefield, ready to declare mind war against the white-clad students of Advance Curriculum.

No matter what's between him and Sasuke, this is one of the things that won't change in their relationship.

"YES!"

Sai only stared outside, unaffected by the heated atmosphere around him, but he smiled in spite of himself.

"Things are getting interesting, Kyuubi. It's time for you to make your reappearance as well."

* * *

Within the next three days, the news about the campus-wide competition was the topic of discussion between the students, and even faculty members. The next day after Naruto made his class announcement, Ino has also published the newspaper reconfirming the blonde student president's statement, and even announced it over the PA system. The sudden news of Ayasaki Kana's return from her hospital break were known by the school, too, and became the new topic for the whole week.

With Sai's arrival and the news about Kana's arrival reaching his ears, Sasuke was beyond temperamental, and refused to talk to Naruto unless i was work-related. People around the campus knew better than to speak of those two persons' names within the raven's earshot, or risk being flung like a rag doll (like what happened with Hozuki Suigetsu during break) or getting a thousand years' worth of spooky death glares (which Karin, his assistant as well as his classmate, had to endure after picking up a fight with the white-haired water lover and slipped up Sai's name). He only settled with glares, though, when it's Naruto who speak their names. And the students were starting to wonder what's with Sasuke getting worked up over Sai and Kana.

Ayasaki Kana went to school earlier than the whole RC student body expected, but she was welcomed warmly by her classmates from 3-A. Naruto greeted her for her early return, too. Kana didn't change much, Naruto reckoned. Her long red hair was silky and bright as always. His skin was still tan, and her red, foxy eyes full of warmth, even when she had just recovered from her latest cardiac arrest.

"They missed their class representative, you know," Naruto said, as she and him were chatting during their free time (yet again, their History instructor, Hatake Kakashi, failed to show up on time and entered their class barely 15 minutes before the next period).

"You just said that because it's becoming too bothersome for you to take care of them while you have your own duties as the student president," Kana replied, "don't worry, I'll take care of the jobs I've left from now on."

"That's not what I meant, Kana-san..."

"I told you, it's okay. I've caused you so much trouble already; I'm so ashamed of myself...."

"It's just fine. You just came from confinement, after all,"

Kana sighed, "Really, I'm fine already, Naruto. You don't need to worry about me." She glanced at Sai, who was doing sketches in his drawing pad, "Is he the new student?"

Naruto glanced at the direction the redhead was looking, and scoffed, "yes. His name's Sai. He's a perverted bastard, so steer clear of...hey!" he called, as Kana was already approaching the black-haired male.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Kana," she introduced, and looked at what Sai was drawing. "Is that a nine-tailed fox? You're great at drawing..."

Sai did not even spared a glance at the crimson-eyed female, but spoke nonetheless, "It's called a Kyuubi, mainly because of its nine tails. Are you aware of the story of the Kyuubi?"

Kana was at loss for words for a moment before finally answering, "...yes. My father used to tell that story. It was said that it was a shape-shifter, a beast capable of posing like a human, and he will usually assume human form to seduce his prey and fall in his trap. His cunning and intelligence grows with time, too. He's good at deception, and a master of trickery..." (1)

"That's true. But, you know, Kyuubi was just a normal human before becoming a beast, and he has a very painful past," and he finally looked at the now stoic female, "right, Ayasaki-san?"

Kana was saved from responding to the pale teen when Naruto decided to enter their conversation. "Oi, read the mood, will you! There are some things that are too sensitive to talk about publicly, you bastard."

"Is it wrong to tell the truth now, dickless?" Sai answered, deadpanned. Naruto broke.

"Why you—" his arms, which were about to attack Sai, was stopped by the tanned girl.

"It's fine, Naruto. I'm already fine, you see...?" she flashed him a big smile, which made the blonde drop his hands in defeat. She turned to Sai.

"It won't hurt to be open and make nice friends, don't you think? You really need one."

She turned to leave the two boys, and went out of the classroom.

When she was nowhere in sight any longer, Naruto bit back to the artist, "hey you, apologize to her."

"And why do I have to? I'm just telling the truth."

"I told you already, there are things that need not be said. You should know that, too..." Naruto trailed off. He knew the pain of not having parents, and decided that he doesn't want to offend the other man that way. But what Sai said afterwards shocked him.

"I don't know what you mean. If you're talking about losing someone close to you, I don't know what that feels. After all, I've been born without parents in the first place. And my foster brother...I know he's the closest one to me, but I can't remember what I felt when he died."

Naruto was stunned. He never had encountered someone as emotionless as him. It's as if he's devoid of emotions, like a perfect mercenary who would only follow his master's orders without even consulting his emotions.

The kind of people Danzo works with.

He knows he should feel angry at Sai now, but his pity overrode the rage welling inside him. He felt sorry for the pale man, being used by Danzo. He clenched his fists in frustration. Just what was that old man planning?

After a moment's silence, he spoke, lowly that Sai almost missed it, "Just apologize to her already."

"What?"

The blonde male pulled his pale wrists, forcing him to stand and pulling him out of the classroom, "Just find her and say sorry for what you said! I don't care if you have to skip classes, but you won't go back here until you apologize! So, go!"

And, with that, Sai was pushed out of the room.

"Wait—" Sai began, but Naruto harshly slid the door closed in front of him.

* * *

Kana walked silently along the corridors, for she was about to go back to their classroom, when she saw the transferee wandering.

"Hey, classes are about to start, you know," she called. Sai turned towards where the voice came, and spotted the redhead.

"So you're there...Naruto-kun pushed me out of the room and told me to find you and apologize before I can go back to class, you see...So, I'm sorry for earlier."

Kana laughed, amused at her friend's antics, "Naruto did, huh? So much like him to do such things overboard...I told him I'm okay, already, so you don't need to apologize."

"Well, there's that. But, while we're at it, I have a message from Lord Danzo." He handed a black envelope, with the crest of Danzo's organization, Root: a hexagram symbolizing "obstruction" in I Ching (2). She sharply scanned the area in case someone, or something, was watching their movements, before she opened the envelope carefully and pulled out a white sheet, where her next orders were written.

_Kyuubi,_

_Commence Plan Alpha. Sai will be the one who will take care of Uzumaki's surveillance. I expect the success of the mission in your hands._

Kyuubi crumpled the piece of pare in her fist, and shoved it in her pocket. "Plan alpha...isn't it too early to make a move?" She asked. Sai shrugged.

"The elders were considering him already as a candidate for the next head of Namikaze clan. He reckons it's best if we have to eradicate him from the clan as soon as possible."

"Well, whatever. It's not like I'm complaining. This surveillance shit is suffocating me, anyway. I'm more suited to more menial jobs..." she proceeded in walking alongside the black-haired teen.

"You still have to be careful, though. You're still currently Ayasaki Kana, after all."

"I know, I know. Don't be such a nagger. You're one to talk, too. Be careful with Uzumaki...His specialty is to worm his way into people's hearts. Even if you already got rid of your emotions as a member of Root, you still need to be take caution."

"I'll take than in mind."

The two of them finally climbed up the stairs and went towards their classroom, unaware that a white-clad individual was listening to their conversation from the start.

"Kyuubi, huh...Not bad for half-assed Root agents," the man smirked.

Root might be exemplary at secrecy, but Uchihas Sasuke's a master of concealment. Too bad he had to skip classes and his student council work for it.

* * *

A/N: I feel like it's lacking some suspense factor. Sighs. Anyway:

(1) Kitsune (fox spirits) were regarded in the Japanese folklore as tricksters, and they are thought to have shape-shifting abilities, which they use commonly to transform into beutiful women. It is said that, the more tails a kitsune has, the more cunning, intelligent, and powerful it is.

(2) Danzo's juinjutsu, which he placed on all the members of the Root to ensure the concealment of the organization's secrets. It resembles a lot like a hexagram, with three solid lines and two broken lines. In Japanese, it could mean influence or concealment, depending on how one looks at it (as it is placed on the tongue), but its closest resemblance in I Ching meant "obstruction". I based its I Ching counterpart from Sai showing off his cursed mark, where the three solid lines were at the top of the two broken lines.

So...Sai and Kyuubi's reappearance. And Plan Alpha...I'm not even sure if I should already initiate the plot for that just yet, since I have more plans for Sai before Kyuubi makes her move. Hmm...

Well, comments will be read by yours truly, so it won't hurt to click the button. ^^,. Once again, thank you for putting up with me. Haha.


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